Chapter 23: Jinling City (6)
Lin Zikui had been drugged, but the method used was to make him pass out rather than consume the drug, so its effects weren’t as strong.
Even so, he was still feeling extremely uncomfortable. His eyes wouldn’t open, his mind was foggy, and his whole body felt hot from the inside out. Vaguely, Lin Zikui sensed someone beside him, calling his name, telling him not to be afraid.
The familiar voice made him feel at ease.
In his dazed state, it was as if he were floating in boiling water, but suddenly he felt a hand undressing him. Lin Zikui abruptly struggled: “No, get lost, get…”
Xiao Fu had never heard him use the word “get lost” so harshly. Shocked, Xiao Fu paused for a moment before tenderly grasping Lin Zikui’s fingers, repeating over and over, “Lin Lang, it’s me, it’s me, I’m here.”
Slowly, Lin Zikui’s breathing calmed down: “Xiao Zhaoling…” His voice, thick with congestion, asked sadly, “Is it really you?”
“Yes, it’s me.”
Lin Zikui seemed to realize the situation. Although his mind was a bit muddled, he still turned his body away, saying, “Don’t touch me.”
“You need me right now,” Xiao Fu’s cold fingers brushed against him. Lin Zikui’s legs curled up, and he hunched his body, feeling awkward. Xiao Fu lowered his voice, “Do you trust me?”
Lin Zikui responded with a soft “Mm,” but then shook his head, “No, no…”
“Alright, then wait for me.”
Xiao Fu let go of him and stood up to open a drawer. After rummaging for a while, he found a box of “Yurong Ointment” his mother had prepared for him.
When he returned to the house, the room had been cleaned. His estate, Marquis Dingbei residence, had been deserted for seven years, but recently, it had started being put back in order.
Xiao Fu lacked for nothing here. He opened the lid of the Yurong Ointment and took a sniff. Naturally, it had no scent.
After washing his hands, he scooped out a bit, rubbing it between his thumb and forefinger, and it quickly melted.
Lin Zikui lay on his bed, somewhere between dreaming and waking, uneasy. He heard Xiao Fu leave but didn’t know where he had gone. Wrapped in a large cloak, he couldn’t hear any sounds and unconsciously called out, “Xiao Zhaoling…”
His voice was very faint, but Xiao Fu heard him and strode back over. Sitting down, he said, “I’m here.”
Xiao Fu covered Lin Zikui completely with the blanket, massaging a large amount of Yurong Ointment until it became oily.
Lin Zikui shivered under his touch. Xiao Fu asked, “Are you cold? Did I press too hard? I’ll be gentler.”
Lin Zikui didn’t respond, his discomfort evident, his dry yet reddened lips tightly pressed together, his eyes wet beneath the cloth covering them.
Seeing this made Xiao Fu’s heart ache. He tightly clasped Lin Zikui’s fingers, interlacing them with his own, and Lin Zikui couldn’t help but grip his hand back, squeezing it very tightly.
Xiao Fu whispered, “….I know you don’t want this. When you wake up, forget it ever happened. You’re safe here; no one will see, no one will know.”
Before long, Lin Zikui curled up silently, and his fingers, which had been gripping Xiao Fu’s hand, slowly released.
Xiao Fu tucked in the blanket around his cold, curled toes and then fetched a cloth to wipe his hands.
Lin Zikui’s palms were soaked in sweat, and it had all dripped into Xiao Fu’s hand.
Xiao Fu asked, “Do you feel better now?”
Lin Zikui turned his face away, burying it in Xiao Fu’s furry black cloak. It wasn’t clear if he did so out of shame or discomfort—perhaps more out of discomfort.
Xiao Fu quietly brushed back the damp strands of hair from his forehead. Lin Zikui kept his head down but didn’t pull away.
Xiao Fu gently rested his fingers on Lin Zikui’s hair, asking, “Lin Lang, are you hungry? What would you like to eat? I’ll have someone make it for you.”
Lin Zikui remained silent, so Xiao Fu sighed, “I’ll follow the physician’s advice, then.”
But Lin Zikui didn’t eat anything. With his eyes still covered and his body motionless, it was impossible to tell whether he was awake or asleep. However, Xiao Fu could hear from his breathing—sometimes it was heavy, indicating he was awake, and at other times it was light and even, indicating he was asleep.
Half-asleep and half-awake, the flush on Lin Zikui’s face faded, but he remained restless. Sweat soaked his clothes.
It was already the third quarter of the hour of Xu (around 9 PM) when Yan Sui finally emerged from the palace with Xie Laosan, followed by over ten guards dressed in embroidered robes.
When they arrived at the gates of Duke Chang’s residence, Yan Sui stopped them, casually saying, “I’ll take Third Master in to examine my uncle. The rest of you wait here.”
The Brocade Uniform Guard, being the Emperor’s personal guards, had never received such treatment from any other officials. But since Yan Sui was the heir of Prince Yunnan, they couldn’t start a conflict.
Commander Huang had no choice but to nod, “We ask that the heir quickly bring Third Master back out.”
He watched as Yan Sui led Xie Laosan inside, then turned to his subordinates and ordered, “Go guard the side and back doors. Don’t let Xie Laosan escape!”
Emperor Wen Tai feared that if Xie Laosan ran off, the pain from his own gu poison would become unbearable. Thus, the Brocade Uniform Guard had been tasked with keeping a close watch on him.
Xie Laosan, feeling helpless, immediately confronted Xiao Fu upon seeing him, “Xiao Zhaoling, what a brilliant idea you had! Why did you make me go to the palace?”
Xiao Fu didn’t answer and instead dragged him into the room, saying, “Third Brother, please examine him quickly.”
It was rare for him to speak this way, and Xie Laosan, hearing this, said nothing more. He sat down and took Lin Zikui’s pulse, then removed the white cloth to check his eyes. As soon as he touched Lin Zikui’s eyes, Lin Zikui suddenly jolted awake, shaking his head frantically.
“It’s me, Young Master Lin, I’m Doctor Xie! I was the one who gave you that insect earlier! Do you remember?” Xie Laosan reassured him, “Let me examine you. Don’t worry, I’m a famous physician, and I’ll definitely cure you.”
Lin Zikui forcefully shook his head and pushed his hand away.
Xie Laosan turned to Xiao Fu and spoke in a low voice, “It looks like we’ll need to burn some calming incense. He’s not in the right state of mind and trusts no one.”
Xiao Fu, feeling a pang in his chest, followed through with the suggestion.
The room was dimly lit with flickering candlelight. Lin Zikui could sense the light and saw two blurry figures. The one closer to him was Doctor Xie, while the one farther away was Zhao Ling.
His lips moved silently.
Miss Zhao Ling…..
Soon, Xie Laosan finished the examination and pulled Xiao Fu aside, saying, “His left eye is fine, just a small, shallow puncture. The right eye has a scratch. Your physician has handled it well, Zhao Ling. Remember the insect I fed him before? That was something I’ve been cultivating for ten years. His eyes will gradually heal. It’s nothing serious.”
Xiao Fu immediately asked, “How long will ‘gradually’ take?”
“I estimate around six months, along with the medicine I’ll prescribe for him. I’ll also adjust his overall health. The poor kid’s been studying for years and is quite frail.”
“Six months…” Xiao Fu nodded, “Alright.”
Xie Laosan continued, “He’s been having nightmares frequently. He’s suffered a major trauma. I don’t know who caused this, however just make sure you don’t provoke him further.”
“I won’t.”
Xie Laosan: “I need to head back to the palace. The Emperor sent the Brocade Uniform Guard to follow me. I have to return by the hour of the pig.”
Note: 9-11pm
“He wants you back by the hour of the pig, and you’re going to leave? Lin Zikui still needs you to prepare his medicine. Let those Brocade Uniform Guard idiots wait outside all night,” Xiao Fu’s expression turned cold at the mention of the Emperor, “I’d like to see who dares to come inside and demand you.”
“…Oh, should I go prepare the medicine, then?”
Xiao Fu gave a brief “hmm” in response, then re-entered the room. To his surprise, Lin Zikui had already sat up by himself. He had no other injuries, and his clothes were neatly arranged, which Xiao Fu had helped him with. Lin Zikui huddled in the corner of the bed. As Xiao Fu approached, he heard him speak softly, “Second… Miss Zhao Ling.”
The odd shift in address didn’t escape Xiao Fu, but he kept his expression neutral and spoke gently, “It’s good that you’re up. Doctor Xie is preparing medicine for you. Dinner has just been made, and I’ll feed you.”
He brought over a bowl of chicken soup and held a spoon to Lin Zikui’s lips, making a long “ah” sound to prompt him to open his mouth. “Is it too hot? Why aren’t you drinking, Lin Lang?”
After a long moment, Lin Zikui shook his head and opened his mouth to drink the soup.
Once he had drunk some, it was better.
Xiao Fu felt a bit relieved. Lin Zikui kept his head down, drinking one spoonful at a time. Finally, he asked, “Miss Zhao Ling, where am I?”
“You’re in a house in Jinling. It’s very safe. No one will harm you.”
“How did I end up here…”
“Do you remember the signal arrow I gave you?”
Lin Zikui remembered.
So that’s who saved himself.
“Thank you,” he said quietly, his voice hoarse.
Xiao Fu didn’t ask who had harmed him. After setting the empty bowl aside, he wiped his mouth. Lin Zikui’s voice rasped as he said, “I had a terrible dream.”
Xiao Fu gently patted his head, “If it was terrible, then forget it.”
“I dreamed that Madam Xiao wanted me to break off the engagement with the Xiao family.”
Xiao Fu’s hand paused for a moment in his hair, but then it naturally moved down to pat him gently. “Dreams are always the opposite of reality. Forget it.”
Lin Zikui didn’t respond. He could vaguely distinguish reality from dreams, but everything still felt muddled and unclear.
Seeing his silence, Xiao Fu spoke up, “When does Lin Lang want to marry me? The Lantern Festival is approaching. Let’s get married in the spring when you’re feeling better. How does that sound?”
Lin Zikui was silent for a moment, then said, “I want to go back.”
“Where? To Xingzhi Temple? I’ll take you there tomorrow.”
Lin Zikui shook his head.
Xiao Fu felt a pang in his heart, “Where do you want to go? Wherever it is, I’ll go with you.”
“I want to go back to Fengtai County,” he replied.
“So you want to return home….” Xiao Fu responded softly. “Then I’ll take you back, and we’ll visit your parents’ graves before coming back to get married. Does that sound good?”
“I… won’t come back to Jinling.” His voice was dry and sorrowful. “I broke the Ai Dai you gave me. I can’t see anymore, and I won’t be able to take the imperial exam.”
Xiao Fu paused for a moment, then replied in a light tone, “Doctor Xie said you’ll recover completely in six months. The medicine he gave you is one of the rarest treasures in the world. If he says you’ll be fine, then you will. He never exaggerates. And besides, I promised you—you’ll ride through the streets in triumph after passing the exams. I, Xiao Zhaoling, always keep my word.”
“Miss Zhao Ling!” Lin Zikui’s voice grew stronger, but as soon as he finished, his energy dropped again, and he said in a defeated voice, “I’m sor—”
“Shh.” Before Lin Zikui could finish, Xiao Fu pressed a finger to his lips.
His index finger lightly rested on Lin Zikui’s lips. “Just trust me this once, will you?”
Of course, Lin Zikui couldn’t trust him. He didn’t dare. He couldn’t even tell… who Xiao Zhaoling really was. Was this person even real? Had what just happened been a dream? Or was it another dream?
He remembered everything, yet layers of illusion clouded his vision. Lin Zikui couldn’t distinguish what was real, only that after studying for more than a decade, this was how it all ended—betrayed by a friend he once trusted…
Back then, Tang Mengyang had saved him from the Xu faction’s grasp.
He had knelt at the Shuntian Prefecture, beating the drum to call for justice, when Tang Mengyang had pulled him up: “The officials will always protect each other. If you go to the Shuntian Prefecture, it’ll be a dead end! If you want to accuse anyone, you must go directly to the emperor!”
Those words had been worth more than gold.
But in the shifting tides of the political sea, time had changed everything. Tang Mengyang had now become part of the Xu faction, abandoning his original ideals.
Before this incident, Lin Zikui’s heart had been as firm as stone, unshakeable.
To marry the second daughter of the Xiao family, he had to succeed in the exams.
To restore order to the empire, he needed to become the top scholar, acting with integrity and fairness. No one could stop him.
He wanted to save the country from crisis, to rescue the people from their suffering.
But today, Lin Zikui realized that he couldn’t even save himself. His resolve crumbled. How could he endure, alone, in a dark pit where no light could be seen?
Perhaps he would never see the light again…
And yet, a voice kept echoing in his ear, telling him to believe…
“Lin Lang, tell me, do you still want to take the imperial exam?”
“I do…” he answered involuntarily.
“But I can’t do it anymore,” he said softly.
Xiao Fu: “You will.”
Lin Zikui didn’t respond. The fire in his heart had gone out, leaving only a small ember hiding quietly in a corner.
Doctor Xie’s medicine was ready. He brought it over, and Xiao Fu fed it to Lin Zikui. He drank it without a word, not even complaining about the bitterness.
Knowing that Lin Zikui hated the taste of medicine, Xiao Fu quickly placed two pieces of candied fruit in his mouth.
“If it’s not enough, let me know.”
Lin Zikui nodded lightly. “Alright.”
The sweetness of the candied dates spread through his mouth.
Xiao Zhaoling…
That name echoed in his mind.
It was already late, and the Brocade Uniform Guard still hadn’t seen Doctor Xie come out. Their hands were already resting on the hilts of their swords.
If he didn’t come out soon, they wouldn’t be able to return to the palace and would have no choice but to force their way in.
Doctor Xie turned to Xiao Fu. “The medicine’s done. Should I just go with them to the palace? Zhao Ling, I’m carrying so many Gu worms, there’s nothing to fear about entering the palace. Even if it’s a dragon’s den or a tiger’s lair, what can they do to me?”
Xiao Fu shook his head. “Brother, don’t rush. I won’t let you go. No one will touch you.”
Snow had fallen on the long street, covering the rooftops. Xiao Fu, his broad shoulders draped in a cyan-blue fur cloak, stood in the cold wind, the white fox fur fluttering. He stepped across the freshly fallen snow in front of the residence, his footsteps making a soft crunching sound. Finally, he crossed the threshold of Duke Chang’s residence and stood still. His calm voice rang out: “Commander Huang.”
The Brocade Uniform Guard commander, who had been about to force his way in, tightened his grip on his embroidered spring blade, his eyes full of wariness.
“Tonight, Third Master will not be returning to the palace with you. You can go back and report to the emperor. Tell him to come to Dingbei Marquis’s residence in ten days. I’ll have Third Master lift the Gu for him.”
Xiao Fu’s voice was steady, yet it was like a boulder crashing into a lake.
Commander Huang was stunned. “W-what…”
Xiao Fu: “Just deliver my exact words to the emperor.”
This news was too important, and Commander Huang was unsure what to do. He looked up at Xiao Fu.
Xiao Fu’s face was cold, his naturally upturned eyes gave him a smile that masked his true thoughts, forming a handsome face full of hidden depths.
Today, however, he seemed to show a sudden mercy. His face was shrouded in deep shadows, looking somewhat like a malicious spirit as he said, “If you Brocade Uniform Guard insist on taking Third Master away tonight, I guarantee that the emperor’s Gu poison will stay with him for life. I swear by my word, no exceptions.”
Commander Huang had seen Xie Laosan’s skill today. With just a small trick, the emperor’s pain had disappeared.
That was why the emperor was so unwilling to let him go. Even when the heir Yan came to take him away, it was only after the Empress Dowager heard that Duke Chang was ill and pleaded for a long time that the emperor reluctantly allowed him to leave the palace.
After some thought, Commander Huang agreed. “I’ll return to the palace and report immediately, and bring back the Marquis’s message as soon as possible.”
Xiao Fu didn’t respond, watching them leave from his elevated position before turning back into the residence.
Inside the door, Xie Laosan grabbed Xiao Fu by the collar of his fur cloak, incredulous. “Xiao Fu, are you crazy? You’re going to lift the Gu for the emperor?”
“Third Brother, what’s the harm in saying I’ll lift it? I’m not really going to do it, just trick him.”
“But… the way you said it just now! You scared me! The emperor killed your trusted aides, tried to take your life several times. You said you were going to make him suffer for the rest of his days.”
Xiao Fu nodded emotionlessly and said, “I’ve changed my mind. I’ll just let him die.”
Xie Laosan: “……..”
“Why do you suddenly want him dead? Weren’t you planning to make Yuwen Duo and Prince Zhao fight to the death? When did you change your mind? Did he piss you off today?”
“I just changed my mind now,” Xiao Fu said innocently, as he often changed his plans quickly. “My Lin Lang needs to take the spring exam, but it’s less than two months away, and he needs time to recover. How will he make it? Once the emperor dies, there will be a period of national mourning, and the spring exams will be canceled.”
Xie Laosan looked utterly shocked.
Xiao Fu tilted his head. “Otherwise, who do you want me to kill? If the Empress Dowager dies, my father will be heartbroken. Maybe I should kill Yuwen Duo instead. That idiot deserves it.”
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